“Earthquakes happen when they wanna happen,” says Doug Perry, public information officer for the Murray School District. “Unfortunately, the Magna Quake [March 18] happened in the middle of a pandemic. Not having to worry about our school buildings ─ that they survived and performed well ─ was a huge relief for our district.” That’s because the Murray School District decided … Read More
6 months after the quake: Looking back on dump trucks, demons and husbands
What did the earthquake feel like to you? This post hit the web at 7:09 a.m. today. That’s exactly six months to the minute since many Utahns felt their first earthquake. Can you believe it? The thing about your first earthquake is that your brain often doesn’t think it’s an earthquake right away. Why does it do that? We’ll get … Read More
Manufactured Homes in Earthquakes – How to Protect Your Home & Family
Photo from ABC4 Utah article SALT LAKE CITY – Manufactured homes are especially at risk from earthquakes and their aftershocks. Many manufactured homes rest on slender supports that can collapse or buckle during earthquakes, causing injuries to the occupants and damage to the structure, contents, water heater and utilities. Collapse can make doors and other exits unsafe while fractured gas … Read More
Are You Ready for the Next Earthquake?
SALT LAKE CITY – While earthquakes are inevitable, the damage they cause is not. Utah homeowners can take simple actions to reduce property damage and the disruption to their lives caused by earthquakes. One of the best non-structural measures you can undertake is strapping down your water heater. An earthquake-damaged water heater can cause fires, flooding, and carbon monoxide build-up … Read More
News Release: Why Are Unreinforced Brick Structures Dangerous?
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah has a rich heritage of brick architecture. From Fort Douglas and the Isaac Chase Mill to Provo Tabernacle and Brigham Young’s Winter Home, many of the state’s oldest and most historic structures were made with bricks. However, many brick buildings are vulnerable to earthquakes. Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Structures built prior to 1975 often feature brick … Read More
3 ways to get the most out of the Great Utah ShakeOut today
Why we need an earthquake drill even after so many recent earthquakes Good morning, Utah! We’ve always wondered if an earthquake would happen on the day of the ShakeOut. Well, here we are! There have been more than 1,200 aftershocks following the March 18 Magna earthquake. The most recent felt aftershock was an M4.2 today at 7:41 a.m. With so … Read More
U.S. earthquake history: The Great Alaska Quake of 1964
And why we don’t expect an earthquake of that size in Utah. On Good Friday, March 27, 1964, at 5:36 p.m. local time, the earth began to shake in the subduction zone in the Prince William Sound in Alaska. The U.S. Geological Survey reports that: The earthquake caused rivers, lakes, and other waterways to slosh as far away as the … Read More
What do you do while staying at home? Earthquake-proof your stuff, of course.
While many Utahns are following Gov. Gary Herbert’s Stay Safe/Stay Home Directive or their local health department order, they might be looking for good activities to complete around the home. Why not let the recent Magna earthquake motivate you to make your home safer for the next earthquake? There are a few simple steps you can take. Thanks to Rosie … Read More